The Power of the Positivity Virus

Posted by EXIT Realty Upper Midwest on February 14, 2017

One of our wonderful Minneapolis real estate agents here in the EXIT Realty Upper Midwest region had an interesting take on Real Estate and The Power of The Positivity Virus. Liz Maki is a Commercial/Residential Real Estate agent out of our EXIT Realty Metro office.

Here we are in the midst of the cold tundra of a Minnesota winter…..colds, flu viruses, emotional colds…...yes, the emotional flu goes viral in the office.

I’ll admit that It's difficult for me to remain positive through a Minnesota winter. Clients want to view properties when the temperatures are receding to negative single digits and sometimes the experience is breathtaking as in bitterly cold and not fruitful. Vacant commercial spaces without heat leave my California blood near the consistency of a half frozen Midwestern creek. But this is my business. As an agent who has been in the real estate game for more years than I like to admit, I know from experience that on the day of closing I will look at my clients and think to myself, “we did it”. We remained focused, professional, positive and we persevered! The happy clients will pose for pictures and head off to their new property with a bounce in their step. Another success relationship.

But do we give as much effort to remaining as staunchly positive, optimistic, and supportive in the office with our co-workers and support staff?

For a few decades now researchers have been studying something referred to as emotional contagion.

Most of us know what rudeness and negativity look like and that they are infectiously negative. However, do we know the long-term, far-reaching effects of allowing the emotion to spread? It kills cooperation and creativity in your own professional experiences and in your team’s experience with each other. Full days of productivity are lost to dealing with the virus of negative emotions. Would we allow this virus of sorts to spread to our clients? A majority of us would vehemently answer a resounding NO! Our business would wither on the vine.

The good news is we have the antidote and it’s surprisingly simple. Consciously take a moment when you feel the negative emotional virus taking hold and ask yourself-

“How do I turn this around fast!?”

Here is a quick start- create a positive vision for yourself for that very moment. Ask yourself how you see a positive interaction happening with a colleague or teammate. Literally create a scenario in your conscious mind that plays out a positive, collaborative outcome to a current situation you are feeling negativity towards. Positive energy spreads just like it’s evil twin. But the outcome is much more pleasant, profitable, and humanly enriching.

We are in the business of working with people and we humans can be difficult, quirky, and a challenge to understand most days. By putting in the effort to start every relationship experience with our colleagues like we do with our outside clients we will reap the benefits of a healthy, happier, more profitable daily experience.

Thank you, Liz Maki, for this great article on, The Power of The Positivity Virus!